Last night, for me personally, was when this officially graduated from an exotic but tolerable living experience into a slog – it was just plain cold. While a glance at a working TV reminds one that it is so much worse elsewhere (on my God, so much worse) just a few dozen miles away, that doesn’t much alleviate the discomfort. And that discomfort, for someone frail, can begin to get dangerous as the temperatures remain low and going lower.

We still have room at Andrus, but I want to now ask those of you with power who have spare bedrooms to please consider volunteering them for the duration of this emergency. There are County shelters, but I believe we, as a community, can do better than a cot in a gymnasium, and want to immediately begin tallying a list of available rooms that can be matched up with requests as we expect to see them come in as it gets colder and colder. Please either immediately send an email to room@hastingsgov.org or leave a physical note with the library staff front desk with your name, address,
available reach numbers including cellphone, room(s) available and number of people you can comfortably sleep immediately, if there are any pets either present or allowed, and whether you are a smoker. You may or may not get a call back, but at least we will have that information and if need be, can match people to the best fit. Thank you. If you or someone you know needs a warm bed, please call 478-2344 and the Village will initiate this match-up process to find you shelter within a couple of hours.

The updates:

* Power was restored last night to a group of homes on Euclid, Calumet, north Vilalrd and a few other homes there as the Riverview Firehouse was re-powered. There’s a couple of remaining live wires left that were deactivated this morning (Floral, Stratford), and then our de-powering crews go away and we will be moving onto re-powering. Now onto more discouraging news. It is not clear when the re-powering crews will get

here: it doesn’t look good for today and while we have howled up the chain of command, it is what it is. The crews will be focused on the downtown area where there is a polling place and a large number of un-powered residential units, and Hillside School and then onto residential.

* Con Ed is responsible for getting the wire to your house. That standpipe (the steel tube that leads down to the meter) is your problem, and if a limb pulled it away from the house, you will need to get an electrician to get it fixed.

* You should assume that all DOWNED LINES REMAIN POWERED AND LETHAL IF TOUCHED, even if listed on a street described as “de-powered”. I’ve

been told the leaking transformers were removed and that there will be still some clean-up left, but no risk of further contamination. The contaminated oil is not an airborne threat. It will be scooped, cleaned and removed soon.

Clearly, homes are being turned on now, but if you are at the end of a series of downed lines or in a small pocket… it may take up to another eight days.

* If you do not have hot water, Equalize Fitness at One Odell Plaza just south of the Village on Broadway is offering free hot showers to anyone who needs it at the gym facility.

* Please DO NOT call the police with an expectation for updates on power, etc. They don't know. ONLY call with true emergencies, 478-2344.

* Gasoline supplies remain a major headache. We are told it will take a day or two to improve. Conserve what you have and spare yourself a long wait.

* If you want to charge your phone, please feel free to go to the courtroom at the Municipal Building and we will accommodate you as best we can. We have free wifi internet service (hotspot = “3COM” or "FREEJHCC).

The library is open but limited wifi. The High School library is open tomorrow as well. The Station Café is open and has working wifi as well. These are also warm places to hang out and read, commiserate, whatever.

* The gym at the High School is open if a game of pick-up basketball suits you.

* VOTING: We expect and hope that all the regular polling stations will be open. Absentee ballots returned by mail still must be postmarked by Monday, November 5, but have until Nov. 19 to reach the Board of Elections.

* If you’re using a lawn service to clean debris, or tree services to remove the big stuff, or carpenters, etc to fix flattened fences or any other professionals, please drop me (mayor@hastingsgov.org) a line with their name, specialty, and contact number.

* FELLOWSHIP: Several of our religious institutions are hosting the

community this weekend - this is interdenominational and anyone is invite anywhere.

Saturday, from 1:30 to 4:30, Temple Beth Shalom is hosting the community for refreshments, recharging, etc.

Sunday, from 11 to 1, Grace Epsicopal is hosting bagels and coffee. From 1:30 to 4:30, Temple Beth Shalom is again hosting the community. And the Unitarian Church on Sunday is hosting a potluck supper from 4pm onwards.

If you can’t bring something, don’t. They’ll take care of you.

These emails will be posted within an hour of issuance at the Community Center on the door, on the bulletin board on the wall at the Municipal Building, and on the front of library. The next update will follow tonight at 8PM but might not indicate much change, sadly enough. Please print these out and circulate with those who are entirely out of communications. YOU CAN ALSO CALL 478-2511 to hear these emails in full within an hour of posting.

Running the clock back to 1890 may be an interesting premise for a reality TV show, but living it on a non-voluntary basis is a stark reminder of how comfortable our normal lives are and how little stands between us and, well, 1890. While things are getting back to normal, when you’re stuck in 1890, it can’t happen fast enough. We have no choice but to persevere and no choice but to display resiliency, and even when the sense of humor fades (mine is pretty much done), we remain fortunate to have only power issues and relatively little damage otherwise.

PLEASE, if you have that warm spare bedroom or guestroom, volunteer it right now. We may need it. room@hastingsgov.org